


Flashes

by WannaBeBold



Category: NCIS
Genre: F/M, semi-angst, with a happy ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-05
Updated: 2020-05-05
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:00:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24014023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WannaBeBold/pseuds/WannaBeBold
Summary: Her mind involuntarily flashed back to Jake and finding him in the restaurant with the woman he cheated on her with and let out a dark laugh at the cruel irony of the situation. Only this time, it hurt worse.
Relationships: Ellie Bishop & Nick Torres, Ellie Bishop/Nick Torres
Comments: 8
Kudos: 69





	Flashes

**Author's Note:**

> I've had this idea in my head for a while and it wouldn't leave me alone so I had to write it.

She stood there, staring into the window of their coffee shop, watching the man and woman in the middle of the restaurant who were oblivious to her presence. How long she stood there she didn’t know but she was finally broken out of her trance when they stood up, the man pulling her into a hug. The two were smiling when they pulled away and she couldn’t take it anymore.

Ellie quickly turned around, hand going up to her face to wipe away her tears as she ran in the direction of her truck. She pulled out her phone, sending off a text to Kasie to let her know something’s come up and she needed to cancel their breakfast before turning it off. Needing to get away from there, she sped away, cursing herself for her stupidity. She should’ve known this would happen eventually. She always knew she wasn’t his type, hell he even told her brothers that before. Her mind involuntarily flashed back to Jake and finding him in the restaurant with the woman he cheated on her with and let out a dark laugh at the cruel irony of the situation. Only this time, it hurt worse. Although they had been married for eight years when it happened, she and Jake had been drifting apart since she joined NCIS and her marriage was basically over already. This relationship had three years to form and they were getting ready to celebrate their one year anniversary. Nick was it, she was sure of it.

Pulling into their apartment she threw her truck in park and ran inside. She tried to avoid looking around the apartment she shared with him for almost a year now as she started packing a suitcase and booked a one-way trip to Oklahoma. Scribbling out a note which was really more than he deserved she ran out the door.

On the flight to Oklahoma, Ellie kept flashing back to their relationship, trying to find some sign that it wasn’t working out but she kept coming up empty. They were happy. They had finally gotten together after his accident and he moved in with her a few months later. Nick had actually brought up the topic of marriage recently and she tried but failed to get her hopes up that maybe he was going to propose soon. The announcement that they were preparing to land shook her out of her thoughts and she prepared herself to see her family.

* * *

Leaving the café, Nick was beaming with happiness. He was almost ready to see Ellie but he had one more person to talk to. Walking down the basement stairs, Gibbs looked up at him and he paused at the bottom in nervousness.

“Ya gonna just stand there Torres?” Abrupt as always, Nick shook his head at his boss and walked across to where he was sanding his latest boat.

“I got it.” He pulled the box out of his pocket, showing his boss who had become like a father to him recently. “It’s just like I remembered.” Taking the box from Nick’s hand he looked it over, admiring the detail.

“So. When’re you gonna ask her?” The smile that had been on his face basically since he picked up the ring got wider as he thought of how he was gonna propose.

“Next week. It’s our one year anniversary and there’s this painting class that she’s been wanting to go to so I secretly signed us up for it. I’m gonna write it in my painting.” Gibbs smiled, nodding his head.

“She’ll love it.” He handed the box back to his agent and clasped his shoulder in silent support.

“Thanks Gibbs. I uh, I gotta get home. I promised Ellie I’d make her enchiladas and well, she’s kinda scary when she gets hungry.” Gibbs laughed at that, knowing how much she liked her food. Turning around, Nick went back up the stairs with a new pep in his step.

Nick was so excited thinking about his plans next week that he didn’t notice Ellie’s truck wasn’t in her spot in the parking lot. Opening their door he called out to her, frowning when he noticed the lights were off and there was no response. He was about to pull out his phone and call her when he noticed a piece of paper on the table with her handwriting.

_Nick,_

_I finally realized today why you’ve been so secretive lately and, while I’m not surprised because she seems like your type, I’m hurt. I need to take a few days and process things. Please don’t try to call me._

_Ellie._

Confusion turned to heartbreak when he looked at the scratched out word above her signature – _Love._ She always signed her letters “Love, Ellie” but this time she had scratched out the sentiment. He hadn’t realized he was crying until a tear landed on the paper and he shoved it in his pocket. Rushing into their bedroom he took in the mess of clothes scattered around and the missing suitcase from the top shelf of the closet and realized where she’d gone. Quickly grabbing his duffle bag, he threw some clothes in and ran to the airport. There was a flight leaving in an hour and he was now on it.

* * *

Hearing the doorbell ring, Barbara Bishop laid down the towel she was using and went to answer the door.

“Hi mom.” She tried to hide the surprise at seeing her daughter on her doorstep but it was quickly replaced with concern as she saw her daughter’s red-rimmed eyes.

“Eleanor, honey, what’s wrong?” Grabbing her daughter’s hand she pulled her inside, noting for the first time the smudged make-up on her face and her tired expression. When Ellie didn’t answer her, she ushered her daughter into the living room, sitting her down on the couch while she went to make her some tea. She was curled up in the corner of the couch, blanket pulled up to her chin when her mom came back with a steaming mug which she readily accepted. Sitting down across from her daughter, waiting for her to start talking.

“He’s cheating Mom. Nick’s cheating.” The tears came back full force then at saying the words out loud for the first time. Barbara took the mug from her hands and pulled her into an embrace, letting her daughter get out the tears.

“Eleanor honey, that doesn’t sound like Nick. What makes you think that?” Ellie laid her head on her mother’s shoulder, trying to wipe the tears away but they just kept flowing.

“I saw him. Just like Jake I saw him sitting in a coffee shop, our coffee shop, with a woman. They were really friendly with each other and then he hugged her when they left.” A choked sob left her as she thought about it again. “I can’t do this again mom.”

Barbara sat there, holding her daughter as she cried herself to sleep. Once Ellie’s breathing was even she shed a tear for her daughter. She was certain that Nick would never cheat on her daughter, she could tell he loved her too much, and she mentally cursed Jake for making the thought run through Ellie’s head. Knowing that she wasn’t likely to wake up any time soon, Barbara snuck out from under Ellie, laying her down flat on the couch, and went into the kitchen to make a call.

* * *

In DC, Gibbs picked up his phone, curious when he saw the name on the screen. “Mrs. Bishop.”

“Gibbs, how many times do I have to tell you that you can call me Barbara?”

“What can I do for ya then Barbara?” She chanced a glance at her sleeping daughter before stepping onto the porch.

“Can you tell me why my daughter showed up to my house this afternoon crying because she saw Nicholas having coffee with another woman this morning?” Shocked, Gibbs ran a hand over his face, ready to kill the agent before he remembered the man’s words from earlier.

_“I met my cousin for coffee this morning. Lucia found out she had the ring and was nice enough to give it to me for Ellie.”_

Coming back to the present, he let out a light chuckle. “Aw hell. Nick’s gonna propose. He was meeting his cousin to get the ring.” Gibbs could hear the sigh of relief from his female agent’s mom.

“Well then, that makes a lot more sense than her thinking he was cheating on her. I knew Nicholas wasn’t the type of man to do that.” Gibbs hummed in agreement when he remembered something.

“He’s on his way there.”

“What?!”

“Torres. He called me, asked for a couple days off. He’s gotta be on his way there.” Barbara looked down the driveway, almost expecting her daughter’s boyfriend to suddenly appear.

“Thank you, Gibbs. I just hope she’ll listen to him. I know she knows he’s not Jake but I also know her mind is so analytical that that’s the first thing she thinks of. I hate that he did that to her.”

“Don’t worry. I talked to him. And Nick’s different. He knows what’ll happen to him if he were to hurt her.” Barbara couldn’t help but smile, grateful her daughter had found people who looked out for her in DC.

“Thank you again, Gibbs.” As usual, he didn’t stay on the phone longer than he had to and hung up. He knew there was no wrongdoing, but he hoped Ellie would believe Nick when he told her that.

* * *

Her daughter was still asleep when the clock hit 8:00 pm and a set of headlights appeared in the driveway. Stepping out onto the porch, she watched as the driver shut off the engine and ran up to the steps, stopping only when he saw her standing there with her arms crossed.

“Mrs. Bishop.” Nick said, trying to catch his breath. Ellie’s mom stood there, staring him down as he shifted under her gaze. Finally, he walked up to her, needing to explain. “I promise I’m not cheating on Ellie.” She was still staring at him and he hastened to continue. “I love Ellie and I want to propose. I was getting my grandma’s ring from my cousin and she must’ve seen me with her. I swear, I would never do something like that. I-“ Nick was suddenly cut off by her hand being held up and he was reminded of Ellie doing the same thing.

“I know you’re telling the truth Nick.” A weight lifted off his shoulders at her words. “But you don’t need to tell me, you need to tell her.” He looked in the window where she was pointing, his heart warming at seeing Ellie asleep on the couch. Tilting his head toward the door she nodded, opening the door and letting him follow her inside. Standing in the opening from the kitchen to the living room, she watched as Nick kneeled next to her daughter and ran a hand over her hair to wake her up gently.

Slowly waking up, a smile made its way over her face when she saw her boyfriend’s face in front of her but it quickly disappeared when she remembered where she was and why she was there. Sitting up, she moved onto the other side of the couch to get as far away from his as possible.

“What’re you doing here Nick?” He watched as she curled in on herself and his heart broke when he saw the dried tear tracks on her face and he fact that he was the cause of it. Going to reach for her hand, he felt like he was being punched in the gut when she recoiled. Sitting on the floor where he was at he started to explain.

“Ellie, I’m sorry for what you saw this morning but I can promise you that it’s not what you think.” She rolled her eyes, having heard those words before and ready to tell him that until she heard her mom’s voice behind her.

“Eleanor. Please listen to him.” Ellie tried to argue but her mom cut her off. “I think you need to hear him out.” She walked over to her daughter, leaning over to whisper in her ear. “He’s not Jake baby. This man loves you.” Leaving them alone to talk, she walked outside, sitting on the porch to call her husband.

Thinking about what her mom said, Ellie wiped the tear away and really looked at Nick for the first time today. His eyes looked red and poufy and his normally perfect hair was sticking up everywhere like he had been running his hands through it. Deciding to hear him out, she sat up more, pulling the blanket up higher to use as a shield. “Okay Nick. I’m listening.”

Taking a deep breath, Nick pulled her note out of his pocket and looked it over once more before talking. “First of all Ellie, I’m so sorry for making you cry. I hate seeing you cry but I hate it even more when I was the cause of it.” Ellie sniffled at his words, wiping at her eyes. “You’re right that I have been acting secretive lately but it’s not because I was cheating, gosh I could never cheat on you Ellie, I love you so much. I don’t have a type because you’re my type Ellie, no other woman could ever compare.” He trailed off for a moment before continuing. “I should have told you who I was meeting this morning but I didn’t think about it.” She looked at him expectantly and he realized he still hadn’t told her who he was with and pulled out his phone, quickly finding a picture from when he was a teenager and showing her. “The woman I was with this morning was my cousin Celia. We lost touch with each other before I went undercover and Lucia was able to track her down. I needed to find her because she had something of my grandma’s that I needed.”

Ellie’s body slowly relaxed as he talked. Seeing her relaxed now, he looked into her eyes and silently asked to join her on the couch. At her nod he stood up and sat on the opposite end of the couch. Taking a chance, he reached a hand out toward her and she met him in the middle, clasping their hands together.

“I’m sorry Nick. I knew in my heart that you could never cheat on me, I mean gosh you’re nothing like Jake and I can’t believe I even let myself think that but when I saw you sitting with her in the coffee shop I just- my mind flashed back to seeing Jake with that other woman and then later finding out he was cheating on me and I had to escape and now… oh my gosh! You’re in Oklahoma!” Ellie’s eyes went wide at the realization that he actually flew to Oklahoma just to explain himself and calm her fears.

“It was the only thing for me to do when I found your note. I know it said not to call but I figured it couldn’t hurt to come to you and this is always where you come to when you need to process things. I hope I wasn’t wrong.” For the first time Ellie noticed the note she left for him in his hand and choked back a sob when she saw the tear tracks on it. She lifted her hand to cup his cheek, brushing away the wetness he hadn’t realized was there.

“You weren’t wrong Nick, I was. I’m so sorry.” She leaned in, waiting for his nod before closing the gap between them and pressing a soft kiss to his lips. Pulling back, he rested his forehead against hers.

“I love you so much Ellie.” A tear ran down her cheek then and he brushed it away with his thumb before cupping her face in his hands.

“I love you too Nick. So much.” It was his turn to kiss her this time. They were both a little breathless when they pulled away and Ellie remembered something he said earlier. “Hey Nick, what was that thing you had to meet your cousin to get?” He froze suddenly and Ellie leaned back. “If you don’t wanna tell me, Nick I trust you…” She trailed off when he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small box. Her heart suddenly sped up as she saw the velvet box that looked like it contained a certain piece of jewelry.

“I was gonna do this next week but…” Looking into her eyes for confirmation he slid off the couch and got down on one knee in front of her. A hand went over her mouth as he opened it and she saw the antique ring sitting inside. “This was my Abuela’s engagement ring. She and my Abuelo were married for fifty years and she left it for me, telling me to only give it to the woman I want to spend fifty years being married to. I love you so much Ellie and I wanna spend more than fifty years being married to you.” Tears were streaming down her face again but this time they were happy tears as she waited for him to continue. “Eleanor Raye Bishop, will you marry me?”

“Yes. Oh my gosh absolutely yes.” Nick jumped up, leaning over Ellie and kissing her passionately. She pulled him down on top of her, each getting lost in the kiss until they heard a commotion outside. Moving to sit next to her, Nick cringed when he saw her parents looking in the window. Embarrassment washed over her as she realized her parents had just caught her making out and she hid her face in Nick’s shoulder.

The front door opened and Barbara and William walked in. Turning around to look over the back of the couch she held up her left hand, beaming. “We’re engaged!” Nick’s smile matched hers as he kissed the side of her head before she jumped up to be hugged by her parents. Barbara took her hand, looking at the ring while William came over to him to shake his hand. Nick was surprised when the handshake turned into a hug and William whispered in his ear.

“I knew you couldn’t’ve done that. You’re a better man than that.” Nick choked up at the words from his future father-in-law, amazed at the faith he had in him. “Congratulations son.”

“Thank you Mr. Bishop.” 

“Please, call me William.” Nick nodded, correcting himself.

“Thank you William.” Not a moment later he was pulled into a hug by Barbara while William hugged his daughter.

“You found a good one baby.”

“I really did Dad. I really did.” Ellie smiled at her father as she watched Nick be shocked by her mother’s hug but quickly embrace it.

“Thank you for loving my daughter Nicholas. She’s lucky to have you.”

“Thank you ma’am but, I’m really the lucky one.”

When Nick stepped back from her mom, Ellie went to his side, wrapping her arms around his middle and resting her head in the crook of his neck while he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and placed a kiss to the top of her head. Ellie’s stomach growled then, breaking the silence. Nick couldn’t help but laugh as she hid her head in his shoulder.

“C’mon El, you must be starving. Let’s get some food in you.” William and Barbara watched as Ellie smiled up at him while they walked to the kitchen.

"You did promise to make me enchiladas tonight." Nick laughed. He should've known she would have remembered that. 

"Find me the ingredients babe and I'll make whatever you want." Ellie placed a kiss on his lips before raiding her parent's pantry, pulling out all of the ingredients he would need along with an apron with "kiss the cook" written across it. Coming up behind him she put it over his neck, tying it behind his back before coming around and kissing him again.

Listening to the laughter coming from the kitchen the Bishops smiled. “Our baby’s getting married Barbara.” Her heart soared as she listened to the newly engaged couple bicker in the kitchen.

“And this one’s really The One.” Kissing his wife, they walked upstairs for bed, leaving Nick and Ellie alone and savoring the sound of their daughter finally happy.

**Author's Note:**

> This idea was combined with a prompt from RoguePrincessDanie where Nick gives Ellie his grandmother's ring.


End file.
